[The "Mastery" attribute increases by one point.]
The last system message flashed before Daniel.
The tentacles finally released him, retreating along with the Hydraglot, which began its slow descent. Despite all odds, Daniel had overcome a Monstrosity rank monster.
Surely, calling this victory lucky would be an understatement. It was all thanks to a stroke of luck and his sudden madness that took over when his desire exceeded 80% that he managed to defeat the creature.
However, Daniel had no time to rejoice or celebrate. As soon as the monster released him, he shot upwards. The Aquatern Sphere, or more precisely its effect granted by the item, which shielded him from water pressure and allowed him to breathe underwater, was about to fade.
With only five seconds left, he was still a significant way from breaking the surface. He had exhausted all his spheres, having given his last one to Seraphina. His predicament seemed almost hopeless.
Daniel raced upwards with all his might. Externally, his gaze remained unwavering, but inside, desperation was building.
'Come on! Hurry up! You're about to die, idiot! Moron! Go fuck yourself, you son of a bitch!' Just two seconds remained, and the surface was still agonizingly out of reach.
One second. In that blink, Daniel moved eight meters. But it wasn't close enough.
His glowing white aura started to fade fast. Out of time.
Darkness swallowed him. Without his light, he was blind. The crushing weight of the water squeezed his lungs, and water rushed in. The cold bit into him.
It felt like he was swimming through thick mud, pulling him down.
Tiny bubbles rushed out from his lips, aiming for a surface he couldn't reach. He shut his eyes.
'This isn't a bad way to go… Dad wouldn't be disappointed,' a thought flashed across Daniel's mind.
The pain grew, and his thoughts got fuzzy. His mind dimmed. Thinking became hard.
A beautiful mermaid with green hair was in that glow.
Somewhere in the distance, he thought he saw light.
A beautiful bare mermaid with green hair was in that glow.
Then, Daniel felt soft lips press against his own. A moist, warm tongue slipped into his mouth, delivering a round, solid object which Daniel instinctively swallowed.
His eyes widened. It wasn't a mermaid – it was Seraphina.
She quickly pulled away, her eyes flashing a mix of displeasure and irritation. With an exasperated look, she pointed upwards and swiftly made her way to the surface. Bathed in the protective white aura, Daniel felt an immediate lightness return to his body. He quickly followed in Seraphina's wake.
His gaze was magnetically drawn to her gracefully moving legs and the splendid roundness of her buttocks, which swayed in unison, hypnotizing Daniel and setting the rhythm for their ascent to the surface light. Before he realized it, they burst out of the lake, the white glow around them fading away.
Seraphina stepped onto the green bank, squeezing the water out of her long hair, a hint of annoyance on her face.
Following her, Daniel simply gave his head a shake, sending water droplets flying, which sparkled in the sunlight.
He cast a glance at Seraphina, who met him with a displeased, piercing gaze.
"What you've done is the very epitome of irrationality. Not only did you attempt to save me when my chances of survival were nearly nonexistent, but you should've clearly abandoned me and fled on your own. To exacerbate matters, you chose to battle a 'monstrosity' rank monster underwater where your chances of surviving were even slimmer. Clearly, fortune favors you today. However, I do hope you realize that sooner or later..."
"Shut up," Daniel interrupted sharply, clutching his head. Seraphina stared at him in shock.
"What on earth..." Seraphina began.
"Just shut your damned mouth, you idiot," Daniel yelled, grabbing his head with his other hand and falling to his knees. Seraphina's displeased face shifted to one of grave concern.
"Are you... Are you alright?" she inquired.
"Who knows..." Daniel replied with a calm facial expression, yet his inner self was screaming in pain. As soon as he emerged from the water, he felt the full intensity of what it means when one's sense of desire exceeds 80%.
Deep in the lake, all he heard was silence and tranquility. Once out, an array of noises assaulted his ears; some seemed to shout, some echoed, and even the quiet rustling of leaves threatened to drive him mad. But it wasn't just the noises.
The headache, which he'd barely noticed earlier, intensified multiple times. It felt as if hundreds of needles were piercing through his consciousness every second. Adapting to this sensation was an immense challenge. Daniel needed time, just a minute, to think clearly.
Seraphina seemed to understand this and simply turned away, giving the young man a moment to catch his breath.
"Status," Daniel muttered softly. However, when the virtual window popped up in front of him, everything appeared blurred. He struggled to focus, breaking out in sweat.
Na.... Dan...l ...rey
Ag...: ...9
L...el: 4
Exp....: ...00/....50]
...ints: 69
Class: Undef...d
Weapon: Broken Short....
Health: 18
Energ...9
Strength: 9>11
Buil... 9>5
Agilit...
....x: 12
M....ery: 16>17
...lligence: 10 (5) [-....]
Accu...
L...
....dom.... 2 ... [-50%]
Willp... 10 (...) [-50...
Skills:
A....
...Cheater
Daniel couldn't read the inventory; the letters were numerous and everything appeared too blurry.
...Mask
Fetis ...BT]
Sense of ...ger: 4...%
...se of thir.... 4%
Sense of desire: 89%
Sen....old: 50%
Sense o...
....ding: 9%
Of course, his status had drastically changed since the last time he checked. However, he currently had no time to delve into it. The reason he opened his status and what frightened Daniel the most was the surge of desire, which had risen to 89%. If its effect on his mind was this profound at just over 80%, he dreaded what would happen once it crossed 90%.
About a minute passed. Adapting to this pain was nearly impossible for him. Still, Daniel had no choice. He was well-aware that if he remained seated, he would meet his end.
Suddenly, Daniel stood up. Seraphina turned to face him.
"You'll lead," Daniel calmly said.
With a stoic expression, the girl began moving forward. Daniel followed closely behind.
"You said I acted recklessly, but you dived in to rescue me," Daniel said sharply, trying to distract himself from the headache. This time, without any reservations, he stared intently at her shapely buttocks and tried to concentrate on the conversation.
"Unlike you," Seraphina began in a soft tone, "I barely risked anything. I was in control, keeping an eye on my surroundings, waiting for you at the shore. As before, that monster wouldn't have caught me off guard, and I would've just run away if necessary. Besides, there were reasons to wait for you. After all, you have many valuable resources. If I had fled alone, my chances of survival would have been severely diminished."
"Cute," Daniel calmly said, "You must be the cutest girl I've ever met. Seriously. You probably had a ton of friends in college," he continued with an indifferent face, slightly tugging at his hair.
Seraphina's mood darkened.
"I don't need friends. Friends are just bothersome flies that do nothing but distract you."
"Maybe so," Daniel responded. "However, that doesn't mean you have to be such a bitch. I saved your life, and yet you continue to treat me like a tool, acting as if nothing happened," he stated calmly.
A look of irritation swiftly crossed Seraphina's face.
"Fine. If it makes you feel better, I didn't save you just for your resources. Another reason I did it was because I hate owing someone," she haughtily declared, flipping her long hair back.
"I've saved you twice. You still owe me," Daniel stated impassively.
Muttering something in French under her breath, Seraphina sharply turned to face the young man.
"I don't know what's happened to you or the state you're in, but we don't have time for pointless talk. We are about to traverse the most perilous part of these territories. The last time I ventured here, I nearly met my demise and was compelled to retreat. This time, I have a modicum of understanding of what lies ahead, but it will not be a walk in the park. It's lamentable that your sword is in such condition, but even without it, you must be perpetually vigilant. Any flora might very well be a monster. Our most eminent threat is the Camouflager... That creature can assume the guise of anything..."
"Just shut up and let's go," Daniel interrupted Seraphina sharply, staring unflinchingly at the irritated girl. She clenched her fists and frowned deeply, then headed into the tropical forest.
Daniel took one last look at the lake before following her.